Senior Airman Timothy Feik, a 447th Air Expeditionary Group air traffic controller, advises an Iraqi Air Force controller July 19, 2018, at Qayyarah Airfield West, Iraq. The air traffic controllers at Q-West are a-part of the train, advise and assist mission with the Iraqi Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Caleb Pierce)

The average day for air traffic controllers involves a lot of moving parts and they work constantly to ensure safe and secure air flow. For Qayyarah Airfield West, Iraq, this rests solely on the shoulders of just a few people.

Not only do those Airmen at the airfield commonly called ‘Q-West’, control the airspace, they also work side-by side with the Iraqi Air Force controllers.

Senior Airman Brennan Gettinger, a 447th Air Expeditionary Group air traffic controller, who supports the critical airfield for strategic airlift along with the IqAF.

“Friendship is key,” said Gettinger, who is deployed from the 319th Operations Support Squadron at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. “Our mission is to train and advise the [Iraqis] because they don’t get the training most people do back in the States.”

The U.S. air traffic controllers interact and build relationships with their counterparts by assisting with Iraqi aircraft movement from the IqAF facility located at a separate area.

“Sometimes we go down [to their tower] and go over different situations to see how they would handle it,” said Gettinger.

Senior Master Sgt. Adam Schill, 447th AEG Detachment 1 superintendent, said the mission is different here than that of home station locations, having a landing zone versus a runway. He added, working directly with Iraqis controllers adds a unique and beneficial element to their mission because the relationship with the IqAF controllers is key, not only to the growth of the Iraqis, but also the Airmen doing the training.

“It’s a very rewarding experience for the [Airmen] because they really get to reap the reward of building a good relationship with the Iraqi Air Force and see the fruits of their labor come to play when the Iraqis are controlling [their] aircraft,” said Schill. “They are very proud of what they do and we are very proud of them too."

Schill went on to explain how the success of past rotations helped train the Iraqis to the point where they are directing different types of aircraft onto the airfield, and control it now with little to no assistance from U.S. forces.

Along with the air advisor role, Schill wanted to share how well his team performed during this deployment.

“Knowing those of us here are supporting the whole airfield is simply amazing,” said Schill. “To watch everyone come together while simultaneously training the Iraqis – it’s amazing. I have never worked with a better group then this.”